Wagon-spring.



F. J. VRBAS.

WAGON SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, NH.

Patented Jan.

NM N Q5 E INVENTOR WITNESSES V E N R G W A FRANK J. V'BBAS, OF NEWKIRK, OKLAHOMA.

WAGON-SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ltatented Jan. i5, 191%..

Application fi1edlFebrua1'y-28, 1 917. SerialNo. 151,470.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J Venues, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newkirk, in the county of Kay and State of Oklahoma, have invented a new and use.- ful iVagon-Spring, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wagon springs, and more particularly to that class known as bolster springs, wherein the springs are interposed between the body of the wagon, or other vehicle, and the bolster.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed; cushioning device which may be readily applied to wagons not already supplied with springs, or which may be built in; at the factory. The device converts an ordinary springless wagon into an easy riding vehicle, when empty or under light load, by the simple manipulation of certain parts, to throw the springs into action. The device may also be adjusted to lower the load, when heavy, directly upon the bolster, where the load is usually carried in heavy hauling, whereby the said springs are entirely out of action and under no strain whatever.

Another object is to provide means for assisting in the operation of raising the empty or lightly loaded wagonbody toa position wherein the springs may be automatically thrown into and held in active position for supporting the load thereon.

A full and complete understanding of the invention will be obtained upon a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification; it being understood that while the drawing shows a practical form of the in vention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity therewith, but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modie fications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts in each of the several figures Figure 1 is an elevation of awagon bolster, having the improvements applied there: to in position for supporting a light load, the wagon body being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an end. view thereof,

t-1' 3 is a eta l ongit dina ecti n view of one nd a the; beaten the.

being released, as when a heavy load is sup- Po ed.-

Fig. at is. a cross sectional view, the parts being in the same position as in Fig.

Figs, 5, 61 and 7 are detail perspective views. of partsv of the device.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view, showing the flexible connection of the supporting springs to the connecting bail.

Theimproved bolster spring is capable of application to a wagon bolster of ordinary construction, without the necessity for any alteration therein, and as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the device is shown applied to a bolster 1 having the usual upright standards 2- thereon adjacent to the ends of the bolster, and it will be seen that farm wagons or other styles of wagons having no springs and adapted for rough usage, may readily have the improved device applied thereto.

Secured to the bolster l adjacent to the standards 2 are upright supporting members 3, which are formed of metal and shaped into rights and lefts, thus adapting them for application, at their lower ends, to the sides of the bolster and having their outer edges directed toward the ends of the bolster and in spaced relation to the standards 2, which, as is customary, are considerably narrower-than the width of the bolster. The upright supporting members are provided at their lower ends with inwardly directed extensions through which bolts 4 are passed to secure the uprights to the sides of the bolsters.

The upper ends of the upright supports 3 are provided with similar extensions 5 bent toward the standards 2, and there have return bends 6 to fit against the sides of the standards 2 and are secured thereto by bolts 7 as clearly indicated in Fig, 2 of the drawing. In this manner, the upper ends of the upright supporting members 3 are spaced away from the standards 2. That portion. of each extension 5 which is directed toward the standard 2 is provided with a wrforation 8 for a purpose to be explained.

Horizontally disposed wagon body supporting bars 9, preferably formed of wood are located adjacent to the bolster 1, and parallel therewith. The bars 9 are preferably of the same length as the bolster 1 and are spaced apart a sufficient distance to be capable of up and down movement along hecuter. fac s. of the uprigh supportin members 3. Metallic plates 10 are secured to the upper faces of the supporting bars 9 by bolts 10 and extend across the inner vertical sides of the standards 2 and have cut-out portions provided with upstanding lugs to form guides 11, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7. The guides 11 receive the opposite inner faces of the standards 2 and permit the up and down movement of the supporting bars 9 without any binding action on the standards 2, thus preventing any lateral or longitudinal movement of the supporting bars 9 with relation to the bolster.

The plates 10 are provided, adjacent to the guides 11, with eyes 12, to which are con nected the lower ends of lifting springs 13, the latter being connected at their upper ends in the hereinbefore described perforations 8. The lifting springs 13 are relatively weak springs, and their principal function is in assisting to lift the wagon body 14, shown in dotted lines, in order to bring certain of the parts of the invention into action, as will be explained.

Relatively heavy coiled springs 15 are secured at their lower ends, as at 16, to the supporting bars 9, in alinement with the outer edges of the upright members 3. The springs 15 when contracted, are of a length approximately one-half the distance to the tops of the uprights 3, at which time the supporting bars 9 are slightly elevated above the bolster 1, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Bails 17 having downwardly extending portions 18 provided with outwardly extending terminals 19 connect the upper ends of the springs 15, the latter having suitable eyes surrounding the terminal portions 19 of the bails. The bails 17 extend across the outer edges of the uprights 3, and have anormal tendency to bear inwardly against said edges at all times, through the action of small coiled springs 20 mounted on the terminals 19 and each having one end 21 secured to the eye at the upper end of a spring 15, and the other end 22 formed into an eye traversed by a wedge or pin 22" extending through the terminal portion 19 and securing the spring 20 thereto. This also prevents the springs 15 and 20 from slipping from the bail. By this means, the bails have a constant pressure against the outer edges of the uprights 3 and yet may be readily forced away from the same by reason of the flexibility provided by the springs 15 and 20, respectively.

Seats 23 are provided in the outer edges of the uprights 3 adjacent to their upper ends having support the bails 16 after the latter are brought to a position to enter the seats. In order that the bail may not he accidentally dislodged from its position in the seats :23, a keeper 24 is provided, which is preferably formed of a metallic rod bent into a central downwardly-slanting shoulders to downwardly extending loop and provided with eyes 25 at the upper terminals of the loop, which are spaced apart a sufficlent distance to enter between the uprights 3 and to be pivoted thereto by bolts 26 which are located slightly above the seats 23. The bolts 26 permit of the inward and outward swinging movement of the keepers 24, which, when the bails are seated, are adapted to override the latter, and prevent their accidental d1slodgment from the seats.

Each keeper 24 is provided on its upper terminals, beyond the eyes 25, with a pair of extensions 27, in the form of bills or hooks, which, when the keepers are swung outwardly upon their pivots 26, are adapted to strike the inner sides of the bails 17 and to forcibly eject the same from the seats 23. The wagon body 14 is placed upon the supporting bars 9 and may rest directly upon the plates 10 thereof, the width of the wagon body being, of course, such as to freely enter between the standards 2.

lVhen the wagon body is empty, or a light load is being carried by the same, it is desirable, in order that the vehicle may be rendered easy riding, to utilize the springs 15 for the purpose. To accomplish this, it is only necessary to lift upon the wagon body which lifting action is greatly facilitated by the springs 13, the principal purpose of which is to assist in such operation. The springs 15 and bails 17 are consequently elevated to a position where the bails will enter the seats 23 through the action of the springs 20, the keepers 24 having been swung outwardly a suilicient distance to per mit of the elevation of the bails 17 to this position. After the seating of the bails in the seats 23, the keepers 24 then swing clownwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 1, when, by reason of the weight of the down wardly extending looped portions of the keepers 24 and the downward slope of the shoulders, the bails are effectually locked in their position on the seats 23.

When the parts are in the position as before described, the vehicle becomes an easy riding spring wagon, the springs 15 aided by the springs 13, being sufficient to render the desired cushioning effect and the supporting bars 9 being elevated a distance above the bolster 1 suflicient to permit of ample up and down movement of the body 14, without the plates 10 striking the bolster 1.

hen it is desired to carry a heavy load within the wagon body 14, the keepers 24 are swung outwardly by hand, and the extensions 27 dislodge the bails 17 from the seats 23, when the weight of the wagon body and the supporting bars 9 is suflicient to distend the lifting springs 13 and the body and bars are lowered to a position where the plates 10 rest directly upon the upper tees-n51 surface of the bolster 1, asindicated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. In this position, the wagon body 14 may receive a heavy load which will then be supported directly upon the bolster and the main springs are subjected to no strain. If desired, the wagon body 14: may be removed and such heavy loads as logs, lumber, etc., placed directly upon the bolster 1 and supporting bars 9.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that simple means have been devised for converting a springless wagon into an easy riding vehicle or vice versa, and which may be readily applied to wagons of the class described already upon the market, without the necessity for any material alteration therein, or which may be readily built in at the factory at a very low cost.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. An attachment for wagon bolsters, comprising supporting means for wagon body, cushioning means for carrying the supporting means, carrying means for the cushioning means, means for detachably holding the cushioning means, and means for releasing sa1d cushioning means therefrom.

2. An attachment for wagon bolsters, comprising supports carried by the bolster, cushioning means removably engaged with the supports, wagon-body supporting means carried by the cushioning means and means carried by the supports for maintaining the connection of the cushioning means therewith and for disengaging the same therefrom.

3. An attachment for wagon bolsters, comprising upright supports mounted on the bolster, wagon-body supports parallel to the bolster, cushioning means connected to the wagon body supports, means carried by the upright supports for engagement with the cushioning means, and swinging means mounted on the supports for breaking such engagement to free the cushioning means.

t. A device of the class described including a wagon bolster, wagon body supporting means, cushioning means connected to the supporting means, means carried by the bolster for connection with the cushioning means to sustain the wagon body in elevated position above the bolster, and means for breaking said connection at will to permit the wagon body to rest directly upon the bolster and also for locking the cushioning means connected with said third-named means when the wagon body is elevated.

5. A spring structure for wagon bodies, including a bolster having standards, spaced wagon body supporting bars straddling the standards, means connecting the bars and guiding the same for up and down movement on the standards, upright supports secured to the bolster and to the standards, cushioning springs secured to the supporting bars, means connecting the free ends ot the springs, and means carried by the up right supports for engagement with the connecting means and means for releasing the latter.

6. In a device of the class described, a wagon bolster having standards thereon, wagon body supporting bars longitudinal of and on each side of the bolster and guided by the standards, upstanding supports carried by the bolster, located adjacent to the standards, and having seats therein, springs mounted on the ends of the bars, and swinging bails connecting the tops of the adjacent springs and adapted to enter the seats and suspend the wagon body supporting bars in elevated position above the wagon bolster.

7. The combination of a wagon bolster having a standard adjacent to each end, supporting bars arranged on each side of and parallel to the bolster, upright springs connected at their lower ends to the bars near the ends of the latter, bails connecting the upper ends ofthe adjacent springs, upright supports arranged on each side of the standards and having means for engagement with the connecting bails to support the parallel bars at a higher elevation than the bolster, and a keeper for preventing the accidental disengagement ot the hails from the supports, said keeper having means for unseating the bails.

8. A, device of the class described includ ing a wagon bolster having a standard near each end, parallel wagon body supporting bars arranged on each side of the bolster and having means for guiding them upon the standards for up and down movements, upright springs secured to the ends of the bars, bails connecting the upper ends of the springs, upright supports located adjacent to the standards and having seats near their upper ends, means carried on the bails for forcing the latter into said seats when a wagon body mounted on the bolster is lifted, other springs weak in comparison with the first named springs and connecting the supporting bars with the tops of the upright supports, and keepers pivotally mounted at the upper extremities of the supports to maintain the engagement of the bails with the seats and having projections adapted to unseat the bails when the keepers are swung outwa rdly.

9. In a device of the class described, a wagon bolster provided with standards, upr ght supports secured to the bolster and to the standards, said supports having seats therein adjacent to their upper extremities and on the outer portions thereof, wagonbodv supporting bars arran ed on each side of the bolsten-plates connecting the bars adjac nt to the standards and provided with guides to engage the latter, relatively weak lifting springs connecting the said plates with the tops of the upright supports, relatively strong springs secured to the ends of the bars, bails connecting the ends of said springs remote from the bars, other springs carried by the ends of the bails to cause the latter to bear against the outer portions of the upright supports and to .enter the seats therein when the Wagon body is elevated, and means for releasing and ejecting the bails from their seats in the upright supports.

10. In a device of the class described, a bolster having standards, upright supports secured at their upper ends to the standards and at their lower ends to the bolster and extending outwardly beyond the outer faces of the standards, said supports having seats in their outer edges adjacent to their upper ends, wagon body supporting bars arranged parallel to and on either side of the bolster, said bars being of substantially equal length therewith, plates connecting the bars adjacent to each standard and having guides engaging the latter, lifting springs connected to each bar at their lower ends and to the upper ends of the vertical supports, other and stronger springs secured to the top sides of the bars and in line with the upright supports, upstanding bails connecting the tops of the second-named springs and extending across the outer edges of the said supports, springs mounted on the terminals of the bails and exerting pressure on the bails to cause the latter to enter the seats in the vertical supports when the wagon body is elevated, and keepers for maintaining the engagement and having means for breaking the engagement of the bails in the seats.

11. A Wagon attachment, comprising supports on the bolsters of the Wagon, means for holding the body of the Wagon, tWo sets of resilient means connecting the supports and body holding means, said means having different degrees of resiliency, the stronger resilient means being designed to yield-ably support the body above the bolsters when the body is empty or has only a light load, While the other resilient means elevates the body and provides for the easy and detaching of the stronger resilient means to and from the supports, and means for disengaging the stronger resilient means from the wagon body sup-ports.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. VRBAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

attaching t 

